Lyndsay Fogarty
With Christmas just one day away and the temperatures continuing to rise, get out of the Florida heat and into the Christmas spirit with a visit to the winter wonderland that is Christmas at Gaylord Palms.
At ICE!, “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” is brought to life with two million pounds of hand-carved ice sculptures representing scenes of the timeless holiday tale. The attraction, which also includes four ice slides, The Frostbite Factory (a live carving zone), and a Nativity scene built from crystal-clear ice, is kept at 9 degrees so be sure to pack your gloves and a scarf for your walk through. Staff members will give you a heavy parka before you enter to keep you warm, too.
If you are 21 years or older, you can upgrade your Gaylord Palms ICE! experience with a visit to the On the Blocks ice bar. At On the Blocks, enjoy a sampling of Jackson Morgan Southern Cream and Goose Island beer plus a choice of a Maker’s Mark bourbon or Absolut vodka specialty drink or a glass of wine, both served in a souvenir glass. There is also an opportunity to include Alpine Rush Snow Tubing with your ICE! experience. Just grab a tube and slide down a giant hill created with real Florida snow.
A brand new addition to Christmas at Gaylord Palms is the Cirque Dreams Unwrapped show, where seasonal characters flip and fly through the air in a stunning display of acrobatic stunts. Broadway director and Cirque Dreams founder, Neil Goldberg, brought the 25-minute show to Orlando for the first time in the company’s 22 year run. Cirque Dreams Unwrapped takes place in the atrium in front of the resort’s 54-foot tall Christmas tree.
Christmas at Gaylord Palms also includes a Build-A-Bear workshop, located in the gift shop just past the exit to ICE!, as well as a meet-and-greet opportunity with Santa and Mrs. Claus, a Gingerbread Decorating Corner at the Alpine Village, a playful Elf on the Shelf Scavenger Hunt, and a nightly Grand Snowfall.
General admission tickets range from $14.99 to $29.99, and there is an extra fee to add the On the Blocks Ice Bar or Alpine Rush Snow Tubing experiences.
Christmas at Gaylord Palms will run through Jan.3 and will be open on all holidays.
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